Liquid dispenser



Dec. 29, 19 M. J. BOYLE ETAL LIQUID DISPENSER Filed March 20, 1963 FIG.4

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u m mYm N os R 82 O V J S %A D m OE ES IO United States Pate 3,153,332 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,163,332 LIQUID DESPENSER Milford J. Boyle, 180 Wainwright Place, and Joseph S. Zsiga, 144 Wainwright Place, both of Stratford, Conn. Filed Mar. 20, 1963, Ser. N 266,684 3 Claims. (Cl. 222180) This invention relates to liquid dispensers and particularly to an improved liquid dispenser for sick rooms.

Bed patients often have the use of their arms and hands but may require assistance in order to drink beverages. Thus, each time such a patient desires a liquid, he ordinarily rings for a nurse who procures a glass of liquid and assists the patient by raising the patients head to facilitate the drinking of the liquid. I

In hospitals where many patients require attention, this assistance in drinking is time-consuming for the nurses, and occasionally a patient must wait for long periods of time while the attendants are occupied with other duties.

The principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of holding a liquid and beingremovably attached to a bed in a manner such that a patient lying in the bed can with facility serve himself without assistance.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in which a patient can serve himself Without danger of spilling the liquid.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus that will include an adjustable clamping means capable of being clamped to beds of various design.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which will be of simple, inexpensive construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus including a plastic container having adjustable plastic clamping means.

In one aspect of the invention, a container having a relatively large mouth may be provided with a dovetail groove along its one side and parallel with the longitudinal centerline of the container.

In another aspect of the invention, adjustable clips may be mounted on elements that are capable of sliding within the dovetail groove. Each clip may include a hook element adapted to engage horizontal, spaced bars on the side guard of a hospital bed or the like.

In still another aspect of the invention,the container may be provided with an enlarged mouth adapted frictionally to receive a cap or top. The top may include a hole centrally thereof, through which a flexible tube can be inserted, the tube extending nearly to the bottom of the container, and an air vent hole may also be provided in the cap for permitting the withdrawal of liquid from usually include parallel, spaced horizontal rails 13 and" 14 integral with a frame having cars 15 adapted to slide along a vertical bar 16 at the head and foot of the bed.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the dispenser 10 is shown as embodying a container 17 of rectangular cross section and of any desired capacity. The container 17 may include a dovetail groove 18 formed along one side thereof and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container. The groove 13 preferably is open at both'ends, extends along one side of the container 17 from the bottom thereof to a reduced neck portion 19, and is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container 17. This arrangement makes it possible to fabricate the container from plastic by well-known blow molding processes.

The reduced throat or neck portion 19 provides a relatively large mouth 24) adapted frictionally to receive a cap 21 and toprovide an effective seal between the cap and the mouth 24 The cap 21 may include a boss 22 on its top surface which is provided with a through passage 23 adapted slidably to receive a relatively flexible tube 24 and to provide a seal between the two. A hole 24' is provided in the cap 21' for preventing a vacuum from formingabove the liquidin container 17 as it is consumed by the patient. 1

Tube 24 preferably is made of a plastic such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene or the like, and it extends to a point 25 near the bottom of the container 17 and outwardly abovev cap 21 a substantial distance as shown in FIG. 1. The flexibility and relative stiffness of tube 24 cause its free end to be maintained in a position above container 17, so that no siphoning effect will occur upon release of tube 24 by the patient after sucking some of the liquid from the container. Tut-1e24, however, remains in a position readily accessible 7 to a patient lying on the bed.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, hook-shaped members 1 the member 2% at any desired location along groove 18. A dovetail boss 33, integral with and spaced from the the container by sucking on the exposed end of the tube.

ventionwill become apparent from the following specification and accompanying. drawing which is merely exemplary. 1 In the drawing: I 7

FIG. 1 is apartial perspective view of abed supporting a liquid dispenser to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the liquid dispenser showninFIG. 1; g

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of 'FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view taken substantially alongline44of FIG.3. a V H Referring to thedrawing, and particularly to FIG. 1,

v the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a dispenser 10 supportecl'on the'guard rail 11 of a bedlZ.

hole which receives screw 36, may be provided on the groove 18.

By properly adjusting the members 26 and 2'1 7 along groove 18, the dispenser lit can be rigidlysupported on tities of liquid without assistance.

. the guard railfof a hospital bed or the like, and a patient lying in the bed can with facility consume desired quan- Although the various features of the dispenser have .been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of" the invention, it will be apparent that chan'gespmay be made in such details and certain features .may be used without others without departing from the 7 principles of the invention.

Vfhat is claimed is:

combination an open top container having a throat portion of reduced diameter toward the interior ofsaiddispens er; walls defining a groove along oneside of saidconq tainer-and'parallellwith the longitudinal axis. of said conf tainer, said groove having a dovetail cross section; a plurality "of separate 'hooknieans having dove-tail means adapted to mate with saiddovetail groove; a removable cap for closing the open top of said container, said cap including a variable diameter portion adapted to mate with the throat portion oi said dispenser; and relatively long,-flexible tube means extending through said cap from a point near the bottom of said container to a point substantially above said container. 7

2. A liquid dispenser adapted to be supported on the guard rail of a hospital bed orthe like, comprising in combination anaopen top container having a throat portion of reduced diameterv toward the interior of said dispenser; walls defining a groove along one side of said container and; parallel with the longitudinal axis of said container; said groove having a dovetail cross section; a plurality of separate hookmeans having dovetail means adapted ,to mate with said dovetail groove; Wing nut means for locking said hook means in adjusted positions within said groove; a removable cap for closing the open top of said container, said cap including a variable diameter portion adapted to mate with the throat portion of said dispenser; and relatively long, flexible tube means extending through said cap from a point near the bottom of said container to a point substantially above said container. i

3. A liquid dispenser adapted to be supported on the 4 guard rail of a hospital bed or the like, comprising in combination an open top plastic container having a throat portion of reduced diameter toward the interior of said dispenser; walls defining a groove along one side of said container and parallel with the longitudinal axis of said container, said groove havinga dovetail cross section; a plurality of separate plastic hook means having dovetail means adapted to make with said dovetail groove; means for locking said hook means in said groove; a removable cap for closing the open top of said container, said cap including a variable diameter portion adapted to mate with the thorat portion of said dispenser; and relatively long, flexible tube means extending through said cap from a point near the bottom of said container to a point substantially above said container.

7 References Cited by the Examiner, UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/54 Cahill 220-18 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIQUID DISPENSER ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ON THE GUARD RAIL OF A HOSPITAL BED OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN OPEN TOP CONTAINER HAVING A THROAT PORTION OF REDUCED DIAMETER TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF SAID DISPENSER; WALLS DEFINING A GROOVE ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER AND PARALLEL WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID GROOVE HAVING A DOVETAIL CROSS SECTION; A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE HOOK MEANS HAVING DOVETAIL MEANS ADAPTED TO MATE WITH SAID DOVETAIL GROOVE; A REMOVABLE CAP FOR CLOSING THE OPEN OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID CAP INCLUDING A VARIABLE DIAMETER PORTION ADAPTED TO MATE WITH THE THROAT PORTION OF SAID DISPENSER; AND RELATIVELY 